Norwich police said they were called to the neighborhood park in the area of Laurel Hill Avenue and Center Street at 7:18 p.m. Sunday for a report of a man with a gun.

When officers arrived at the scene, they found 52-year-old Michael Dugas, who told them he had a gun. Dugas was despondent and refused to follow officers’ commands, police said.

Police said they attempted to communicate with him for an unspecified period of time. Dugas suddenly drew a handgun from his pocket and pointed it at them, police said.

Several officers fired at the “gun-wielding” man in self-defense, Norwich police said. Dugas was taken to The William W. Backus Hospital, where he later died. Results of an autopsy were not available late Thursday morning.

Neighbors said they heard about 15 shots being fired.

State police said part of the investigation would include how many shots were fired and who discharged their weapons.

The Sunday shooting was the fourth in the city involving police since Feb. 7, 2012, when McDonald shot a man after several officers responded to a report of a fight outside 89 Oneco St. and a struggle with officers ensued. McDonald was subsequently cleared of excessive use of force.

On Aug. 28, 2012, Sgt. Patrick Mickens shot a man outside Backus after the man nearly ran over his own mother and drove his car into the officer and his cruiser. The investigation into that incident is pending.

The most recent incident occurred on Jan. 7, when Officer Jonathan Ley was shot four times by Jason Razzino, 30, during a Cedar Street standoff. Razzino committed suicide after the hours-long standoff with police.